Operations Conference and Exhibit 2013

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2012 Operations Conference and Exhibit

April 28-May 1, 2013Boca Raton Resort & Club,Boca Raton, FL

Program

Ops 2013
offers a comprehensive and substantive program, tailored specifically for
financial services operations professionals. Topics are hand-selected by
industry leaders to cover a 360 degree view of the biggest issues coming down
the pike in 2013 and beyond. This year's program offers a special
retrospective on how improvements in operational processes have and can continue
to positively contribute to safe, sound and liquid markets, and therefore
increase public trust and confidence in the financial markets.

Award-winning financial journalist and Senior Correspondent
for FOX Business Network, Charles Gasparino, shares his no-holds-barred view of
Washington’s war on Wall Street, the resulting policy implications, and the
measures needed to prevent another financial crisis and restore America’s
economy. A Wall Street reporting veteran, Gasparino has covered the most
notable financial industry stories of the past two decades and was responsible
for breaking the biggest stories during the financial crisis—AIG’s government
bailout, the inside story of the Lehman Brothers collapse and shakeups at
Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley. An expert storyteller, serving earlier as a
reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, Gasparino
uncovers the hidden truths and dynamics between the financial industry and U.S.
government, and the resulting impact on the American people. Author of The
New York Times best-selling financial book, The Sellout: How Three
Decades of Wall Street Greed and Government Mismanagement Destroyed the Global
Financial System, Gasparino contributes regularly to online and print
publications such as the Daily Beast, Huffington Post, New York Post
and Forbes.

“The New Inflection Point – Making the Case for Greater Mutualization of Financial Infrastructure”

Mr. Bodson’s remarks will begin with a 40-year review of the evolution of the industry and key historical inflection points that drove structural change in financial markets, particularly during times of crisis. He will then discuss how the recent financial crisis and subsequent regulatory reforms have created a new inflection point, which has created partnership opportunities to leverage the mutualized model to address the industry’s key challenges. Mr. Bodson will conclude his remarks by highlighting potential solutions that can help mitigate risk, reduce costs and optimize capital for financial market participants.

This panel of industry experts will discuss the most critical operational issues facing the industry today. Panelists will explore how firms are dealing with implementing regulatory edicts and managing operational risk while at the same time looking to increase operating efficiencies and improve trading, clearing and settlement processes.

Moderator:

Peter Johnston Managing Director, Global Head of Operations Risk and Control Goldman Sachs

Get inspired by Captain Jerry Linenger’s personal experience aboard a Russian space station. Learn how you can overcome great odds to achieve success by embracing change and being prepared to confront your challenges.

Captain Linenger shares his amazing personal story based on his experiences aboard the Russian space station Mir. His gripping presentation will put you in the spacecraft with him while he recounts not only the events of the mission, but also candidly shares his feelings of frustration and fear along with the determination and courage he used to survive. Having overcome great odds to achieve success, he will challenge you to embrace change, rise to the occasion, and confront challenges. He emphasizes the role of preparation to achieve mission goals.

From his riveting presentation, you will learn how to:

Tap into your inner strength and achieve more than you thought possible

Give freely: Personal sacrifice may be required for the greater good

Find the courage to overcome any obstacle

Discover greater meaning in your professional and personal life

Captain Jerry Linenger Retired U.S. Navy Flight Surgeon and NASA Astronaut
United States Navy and NASA

Money market reform is top-of-mind to regulators and market participants alike. Explore the current landscape of the money market fund industry, dive into regulatory reforms currently being contemplated by the SEC, and learn the potential effects they could have on your firm's operating model.

A deep-dive into next steps for today’s pressing clearing and settlement issues. This panel will discuss next steps for advancing each initiative. Settlement Finality topics will include Settlement Matching, CNS for Value, Money Market and CP settlement changes and shortening the U.S. settlement cycle. Dematerialization topics will include modifications to Direct Registration System (DRS) to promote "statement only" and Restricted Stock solutions.

Over the past three years, WebFilings has had the privilege of meeting and interviewing senior risk and compliance executives from leading companies in various industries. Through these meetings, we’ve assembled and consolidated insightful learnings on risk and regulatory reporting processes and systems. We’ve synthesized those learnings and applied them to emerging best practices of risk and compliance reporting. During this lively 60-minute session, we’ll outline the causes of the most common inefficiencies and errors in the current risk and regulatory reporting process, and give concrete, action-oriented suggestions to help you immediately improve your process—a set of quick wins. To cement the best practice insights, we’ll include a brief live demonstration of contemporary risk and regulatory reporting—illustrating there truly is a way forward.

This panel will discuss the current changing operational landscape of derivatives products, and the implications of regulatory reform to derivatives operations, focusing on both the sell side and the buy side. Panelists will share insights on how they are changing their systems and processes to support central clearing and readiness for new margin requirements, as well as documentation to support the changed environment. In addition, panelists will touch on how they are impacted by the recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

A candid discussion of inefficiencies and challenges in corporate actions. Including a special focus on industry efforts underway including proxy, dematerialization and a shortened settlement cycle, the impact of potential financial transaction taxes, and the movement toward ISO 20022 messaging for corporate actions.

Moderator:

James Monahan Executive Director, Regional Head North America Position Services Morgan Stanley

New developments and industry initiatives involving the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (FICC). Topics include a Central Counterparty (CCP) in the mortgage-backed securities market, government securities, re-platforming, the GCF Repo Index, and bilateral TBA margining recommended by the Treasury Market Practices Group (TMPG).

Operational risk is often defined as the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or from external events. CAT could become a significant resource drain on your back-office if your firm does not establish adequate processes, application and controls. The discussion will cover an industry wide perspective of today’s challenges at brokerage firms, the potential new regulatory requirements, processing challenges and operational risk. We will provide some sound guidance and potential solutions to help your firm meet the requirements.

Anti-money laundering (AML) / Know Your Customer (KYC) regulatory requirements have been in place in banking and financial services for quite a while. However, because of the growing links between money laundering and terrorist financing and on-going crime & corruption in the financial system, there has been renewed regulatory focus on AML globally. With the introduction of a Risk Based Approach, financial institutions have an opportunity to build efficiencies with enhanced and standardized business processes and data models thru integration and leveraging of client data across various compliance initiatives.

General SessionHosted by INVeSHAREA View from the Top: The evolution of the financial services and regulatory landscape and its impact on day-to-day operationsMr. DeCicco will provide a high-level view on the evolving financial and regulatory landscape, and what we have learned about managing risk, creating operational efficiencies, and adapting to regulatory changes.

Risk Strategy, Appetite and Profile: the Criticality of Culture and Data

Mr. Alix will describe how directors and senior management of financial firms might articulate and link business strategy with risk appetite, and how system infrastructures support measurementand reporting to test whether the risk profile — including all activity across an enterprise — is within the stated appetite. While emphasizing that innovations in data aggregation, including the evolution of a global legal entity identifier system, may enhance firms’ ability to track risks, Mr. Alix will also discuss the importance of embedding a supportive risk culture

Understanding the Impact of Implementing New Rules and Regulations in 2013 and Beyond

Expert insight from current and former regulators into regulatory initiatives across multiple asset classes that will significantly impact firm operations in 2013 and beyond. Including a special discussion of examination priorities in the coming year.

As the industry prepares to implement a range of new regulatory initiatives – Limit-Up Limit-Down, Large Trader ID, Consolidated Audit Trail and many others – financial services firms are looking to industry partners to help build for this new operating environment. During this panel discussion, industry partners will discuss how they are helping firms get ready. From building for new regulatory requirements to process outsourcing, understand how industry partners are making sure the industry is ready to meet new requirements and prosper in this changing market.

The increasing complexity of the equity markets has led to increasingly technical regulatory requirements. And recent market events have focused regulatory attention on operational issues. Will new regulations be effective at enhancing controls to avoid future market events? What has been the impact of recent initiatives such as the Limit Up/Limit Down Plan and the market access rule? How are broker-dealers planning for CAT and Regulation SCI? What is the impact of enhanced regulatory focus on broker-dealers as they balance highly-technical compliance requirements with complicated business priorities?

Major changes are underway in Tri-party Repo processing. This panel will explore new market practice and how this critical market is changing. What changes are happening to meet new tri-party best practices? How can the matching and confirmation process continue to be improved? Learn more when this panel discusses these and other important issues.

The Treasury Market Practices Group (TMPG) recommends margining of agency MBS transactions to reduce counterparty and systemic risks. This panel will discuss the operational considerations related to the implementation of this recommendation, and will address issues such as documentation, setting up the margining process, leveraging existing collateral management infrastructure, possible industry solution to help with aspects of the process.

Transitioning to a Mobile Recording EnvironmentEmerging Dodd Frank regulation compels financial organizations to record and store digital and verbal communication. This workshop seeks to provide an overview of the mobile recording regulations and their impact on an organization’s people and process, focusing on best practice in selection, implementation and management of the right technology.

Cost Basis Reporting Phase 3—Debt and Options: Preparing for Significant Tax and Operational BurdensAlthough the deadline for debt and options reporting was delayed until January 1, 2014, compliance with this phase of the law poses the most difficult data and system challenges yet. Stevie D. Conlon and panelists will provide regulatory insight and discuss resulting system enhancements to meet these additional requirements.

We’ve shortened the settlement cycle before – can it be done again? Explore results from BCG’s recent cost-benefit analysis as representatives from all aspects of the settlement process debate issues including risk reduction and timing.

Mr. Kagan will focus on developments in the OTC equity marketplace, highlighting recently approved and proposed rule changes intended to enhance investor protection and market integrity in the equity space. He will address critical issues that broker-dealers, asset managers, clearing firms, custodians, investors and issuers need to understand regarding market structure changes. These key issues include the migration of OTC equity trade reporting to new technology, changes in NMS and OTC equity trade reporting rules, and enhancements to market data transparency. Do not miss this informative and important presentation.

As Hurricane Sandy is still fresh in our minds, prepare for business and operational risks posed by natural disasters, pandemics, cybersecurity threats, kinetic events and more. The financial services sector has long taken an “All Hazards” approach to incident response and business continuity, the same approach recently advocated by the White House in PPD-21. Industry and government experts will illuminate the preparations your firm should be taking, including an overview of the industry programs available to you, in order to handle and mitigate the effects of events that impact our ability to conduct business and maintain efficient, properly functioning markets.

Learn about the work of more than 10,000 professionals from our 500 member firms who participate in 100 committees and countless working groups to advocate in support of effective and resilient capital markets.